The Field of Crosses { Calgary, Alberta }

The following is an excerpt from a post I made one year ago…

The Field of Crosses

“As my daughter quietly steered our vehicle home along Memorial Drive and the banks of the Bow River, we saw floodlights shining in the distance and the figures of people, photographers took shape and appeared out of the darkness. There on the side of our beautiful tree-lined street was a field filled with thousands of white crosses… The Field of Crosses… so many crosses it took my breath away. We had chanced upon a sacred place.”

Lest we forget…

“Each cross was marked with a name, rank, infantry name and date of death… and we were rendered speechless, humbled in the quiet that ensued and filled with a deep sense of longing, sadness and gratitude that took hold in our hearts.”

“How fortunate we are to live in a country where we can be the director of our own lives and the lives of our children. It wasn’t always so.

Those named on white crosses made the ultimate sacrifice so that generations of people to come could live in freedom.

And now… we get to choose… what to think.. how to live… and who to love…”

One of the joys of cooking is experiencing the undeniable inspiration and indigenous ingredients that can be discovered from bloggers in different countries around the world.

*Lebanese Couscous (“Moghrabieh”) can be purchased at the Williams-Sonoma store in Chinook Mall or an international specialty food market.

“Good for the earth and good for you, this wheat used to make this couscous is grown from heirloom seeds that promote agricultural diversity as well as authentic flavor. Grown, milled and rolled in Lebanon, the couscous offers authentic nutty flavor and creamy texture – just right for soups, stews and side dishes.

Lebanese couscous is a large, irregular-shaped pearl pasta made from semolina flour.

This nutritious grain is exceptionally versatile and flavorful.

It pairs well with a variety of flavors, and is ideal in soups and stews, or on its own as a simple side dish.

The wheat is sustainably grown on Lebanese farms.

These botanical heirlooms are a part of living history, supporting centuries-old plant varieties and preserving the genetic diversity of our food supply.”

Spread out tomatoes and garlic on a large shallow baking pan or cookie sheet. Roast for about 1 hour, or until tomatoes have roasted. Cool for about 30 minutes.

Remove the garlic, peel and put garlic, oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 1/2 the roasted tomatoes into a food processor or blender and purée until dressing is smooth. (*I did not add the roasted tomatoes).

To make the couscous, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the couscous and simmer, uncovered for 5-6 minutes then remove from the heat, cover and let it stand for 10 minutes. Pour into a colander and rinse to remove any starch that has accumulated.

Have visit quite a few of the war cemeteries in Normandy, France .. far too many of them.
And still every day men and women die for wars that isn’t even theirs. A beautiful tribute.
Love the photos – very respectfully.

I will do you’re couscous this week coming – and add some chicken to it. Will come back with verdict.ReplyCancel

Beautiful tribute, touching photos, and a great recipe to tie it all together “a la Smidge” 😉

I am also fascinated by different ingredients, and methods of cooking – sometimes I fall on foreign blogs and do my best to extract the “essence” using google translate – not easy, but it does give a tiny window to peek into a different world. Still, so many bloggers all over the world blog in English, those who speak the language are very luck! 😉ReplyCancel

We are very fortunate indeed Barb. We had our minute of silence with the girls and paid tribute all who lost their lives all those years ago…. Just love israeli coucous and your salad looks full of flavour. Lovely post.ReplyCancel

A beautiful post, Barb, and heartfelt tribute. We owe so much to the generations that fought before us. Imagine the World had they failed.
This time of year, there aren’t many salads that appeal to me — the veggies just aren’t at their peak anymore. This one, though, is perfect. The flavors are bright and the salad colorful — just what’s needed on these now gray-skied days.ReplyCancel

Beautiful post Smidge. You have such a way with words – which is especially difficult when sometimes it seems as though words are not enough, yet you find a way. You have a gift.ReplyCancel

EhaNovember 11, 2012 - 8:30 pm

Am an army brat, born and bred . . .veneration of those who paid the price was ingrained with baby milk . . .beautiful remembrance photos . . . I too am used yo calling this Israeli couscous: we speak of the same – beautiful recipe!ReplyCancel

Thanks for the lovely tribute Barbara! The veggies at the market have been looking very sad and dismal as they are no longer in season. So this is a great way to have a salad in the winter. Take care, BAMReplyCancel

There is tiny country cemetery near Godalming in Surrey, England which is filled with Canadian war dead from WWII. I know it because my Godparents are buried there, overlooking the cottage that they lived in. Remembrance Sunday is made even sadder by the continual addition of wounded young men to the procession of old soldiers remembering wars which have taught us nothing.ReplyCancel

I just love the texture of the large pearl couscous. Such a fresh and lovely recipe.
The photo of the crosses is humbling; we are indeed very fortunate to live in such a generous and wonderful country.ReplyCancel

When googling to get a better handle on this Couscous, it was referred to as a pasta. I think the orzo would be amazing and would have the right “weight” to support the tomatoes and olives:)xxReplyCancel

gastrogardenerNovember 12, 2012 - 5:05 am

A lovely post, and remembrence. The salad is attractive as well. I love salads like these in the warmer weather.ReplyCancel

One of the reason I love all the bloggers is that they’re so willing to share things from their world. I’m SO grateful for that. It’s a great way to travel when, well, you can’t travel. I’m so excited about this recipe – one, because I’m desperate for some new things to have for lunch, two because it’s couscous and I’ve never tried it (shameful) and three, because of its ethnicity. I just love trying new things from new places! Thanks, Smidge 🙂

What beautiful and symbolic colors. The tomatoes do remind me of the red poppies people wear on Veteran’s Day. It’s mind boggling to see a peaceful field(s) of flowers and imagine the horrors that took place there. Here’s to the veterans of our countries!ReplyCancel

acanadianfoodieNovember 12, 2012 - 6:34 pm

Does this every look absolutely delicious! What a compelling read! Good luck with the Canadian Blogger contest!!
🙂
VReplyCancel

I think I would just dissolve in tears if I came upon the field of crosses! How do we ever comprehend the sacrifice of so many. Thank you so much for sharing this. And the couscous recipe is particularly nice, too. I do love couscous and could use a good recipe! 🙂ReplyCancel